Bob Ellis/staff photographer
SUNY Cortland senior pitcher Katie Finch became the school’s all-time leader in career victories on Thursday, shutting out Alfred in the opening game of a Dragon Field doubleheader. The Red Dragons split the twin bill.

Though running two hours behind schedule, SUNY Cortland softball pitcher Katie Finch still made some school history Thursday.
Senior hurler Finch tossed six shutout innings for her school-record 73rd career victory as the Red Dragons defeated visiting Alfred University 6-0 in the first game of a non-conference doubleheader.
Alfred won the nightcap at Dragon Field by a 5-3 margin in a game called after five innings due to darkness.
The first game of the doubleheader didn’t start until nearly 5 p.m. due to Alfred’s bus breaking down on the trip to Cortland. The teams then elected to play the second game, but didn’t have enough sunlight to go the seven-inning distance.
Cortland, ranked ninth nationally in Division III, is 11-5. Alfred is off to a 10-2 start this spring.
Finch is 6-2 on the season and is 73-25 during her four-year Red Dragon career. The Broadalbin-Perth High School product broke the school record of 72 wins set by Leslie Lance (72-34 record) from 1996-99.
Against Alfred, Finch allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked none.
Cortland 6, Alfred 0: Cortland scored all six of its runs over the first two innings.
Sophomore Lorraine Stoddard hit a two-out, three-run triple and sophomore Jessica Harman followed with an RBI double in a four-run first inning. Sophomore Kayla Lynch and senior Emily Ringen singled in runs in the second.
Junior Katie Fusco was 2-for-3 with a triple as the lone Red Dragon with multiple hits. Angela Netta was 1-for-3 with a walk and Nicole Hedrick took the loss after allowing nine hits and six runs over six innings for the Saxons.
Alfred 5, Cortland 3: Alfred scored twice in the first on a Shanna Ewoldt RBI single and Emily Fenton’s sacrifice fly.
The Red Dragons got a run back in the bottom of the first when junior Donnalyn Cross led off with a triple and scored on junior Brooke Weidman’s single. The triple by Cross was the 21st of her career, breaking the previous school and SUNYAC career triple record of 20 set by Shelley Reynolds from 1984-87.
Alfred went up 3-1 in the second when Angela Netta singled, was bunted to second by Shannon Mather, took third on a passed ball and scored on Hedrick’s sacrifice fly. The Saxons tacked on two more runs in the fourth on a Mather two-run double.
Cortland’s final runs came in the bottom of the fourth inning. Freshman Cassie Kardias led off with a double and eventually scored on a Harman base hit. Harman went to second on an error during a fielder’s choice and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a Danielle Groneman groundout.
Chelsey Cary earned the win for Alfred and is 6-0 on the season. She gave up six hits and two walks and struck out two in five innings. Lynday Rowell took the loss and is 5-3. She gave up five runs, three earned, and eight hits in five innings.
Ashley Passaro finished 2-for-3 for the Saxons, while Weidman was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Cortland.
The Red Dragons are back in action today, visiting Oneonta in a SUNY Athletic Conference twin bill.